Field of the Invention
This invention relates to wood processing machines for the multiple cutting of logs as well as the multiple splitting of the cut logs into individual pieces suitable for use as firewood or the like.
The need for more economical processing of firewood has long been recognized. With the demands for all forms of energy increasing, the need becomes greater today than ever before. Patents related to the cutting and splitting of firewood disclose log handling equipment that includes apparatus for cutting and splitting logs. U.S. Pat. No. 4,294,295 for example, discloses an apparatus for saw cutting and for splitting firewood using radiating blades on a portable transport. U.S. Pat. No. 4,076,061 discloses a portable trailer with a shearing structure and a wedge assembly for splitting a sheared log into four pieces. A conveyor is used to move logs to a cutter and a winch assembly moves logs onto the conveyor. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,160,470 and 4,219,057 each disclose a transportable log shearing unit and a splitting device having radiating blades to produce firewood. This assembly is also mounted on a trailer transport and has an extending arm for picking up logs and for positioning the logs in the shearing conveyor. U.S. Pat. No. 4,019,548 discloses a machine for shear slicing of wood in pieces and a similar device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,802,473. U.S. Pat. No. 3,116,772 discloses a method for slicing vegetables with multiple cutter blades. To the best of my knowledge, there has not heretofore been available a log cutter and splitter that will efficiently simultaneously cut multiple log lengths, split them into firewood pieces of varying cross-sectional dimensions, and maintain them in a bundled condition for ready packaging for market.